I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

Sophie's eyes narrowed into slits.

"What do you mean, Mother?" She asked. "Was your demeanour with him fake?"

Cressida giggled lightly as she took her seat.

"Fake? No, I wouldn't say fake."

Sophie glanced to the side, then back to her Mother with confusion sparkling brightly within them.

"Then?"

Cressida stared at her daughter for a moment.

Holding her gaze as her smile diligently played on her face.

"Everything is not always as it seems… did I not teach you that?"

Sophie frowned.

"You also taught me the similarities between the Demonic Humans and Dogs."

Cressida's smile broke for a second as a genuine laugh escaped her lips.

She looked away immediately. Seemingly calming herself from breaking out of character.

Sophie watched with a dry expression.

Her Mother's actions had always been within reason, but when she acted out of it, something drastic was born.

She had always thought Cressida was strange, and her smile that never seemed to waver only fostered that thought since she was young.

Even now, despite their many years of history and rules as a Family, she couldn't imagine the numbers her Mother had broken for her to get in contact with one of them.

'The whole thing is absurd…'

She was gone for half a year, only to return and find everything beyond understanding.

It wasn't expected… Neither should it be expected.

But all her worries… her doubts.

She had a feeling they would be cleared soon.

Because when Cressida Arcanus moves.

The World follows.

"Hah… sorry, dear," Cressida spoke out with a light tune as she glanced at Sophie. "I lost my composure there."

Sophie shrugged. "That's not like you."

Cressida tilted her head then widened her smile.

"True. That isn't like me."

Silence diffused in the air soon after, when Sophie sighed and approached the Desk.

'This might take a while.'

She thought to herself as she took a seat.

She dropped her weapon by the side of the chair with a metallic click.

"So, what is it, Mother? What do you intend on doing that you needed to resort to the Red Peacemakers?"

Cressida watched her daughter all this time.

Her gaze never missed a beat from her Daughter's actions.

From movements to speech, she absorbed everything.

And she did it well.

With a slight cough, she cleared her throat and dropped her hands on the table.

Chunks of folders lay bare.

Ledgers and formal letters of Communities and Towns under her Rule.

The Arcanus may have lost face, but they had not lost stance.

They were still a family of the Great Households, and they led a district.

Though, their rule was known to only the most well-informed.

"You've changed, Sophia."

Her mother began as her gaze seemed to ooze with something sweet and tender.

A motherly joy.

Sophie though, didn't feel like dining in such.

She shook her head.

"None of those observations and criticisms, mother. I want the truth.

What have you been up to since my departure?"

Cressida hummed lightly.

"I can say the same." She said with a smile. "What has my daughter been up to for her to use the Artefacts without prior notice?"

Sophie jerked in her seat.

'Well…' She thought. 'It was bound to come up anyway.'

Sighing inwardly and outwardly from the lethargic sensation creeping in, she adjusted herself on her seat.

"Firstly, mother. If you are worried that my stance may have changed, then fret not.

I will be joining you in giving these wretched Households a piece of their mind.

Secondly–

"Though, not because of the Household, right?"

Sophie's gaze narrowed slightly.

"Mother…" She muttered as she glanced away.

A tense quiet took its place in the Study, but Cressida only observed some more and nodded.

"As long as you're back on track, Sophia."

She said,

A sigh of relief escaped Sophie's lips, but by the time she realised it, it was too late.

'Hah… I guess I was worried about my actions after all.'

She thought as she turned to her mother, once more.

"And the Artefacts I borrowed, it was for a good cause."

Cressida's gaze flickered for a second.

"Are you hiding things from me?"

Sophie scoffed as she unintelligibly kicked the table.

"You befriended an enemy, mother! If anything you're the one keeping things from me!"

She folded her hands and pouted. Making her stance right then and there.

Cressida bit down on her lips lightly as she giggled.

"True." She said. "Well, Sophie, I'll have you know that mine is for a good cause as well."

Sophie rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

"Don't kid me. Since when did the destruction of the Great Families become a good cause?"

Cressida's smile widened and her crimson eyes sparkled with brilliance.

"Since the start."

Another round of stillness followed, but Sophie, just like she always had in her mother's presence, caved in.

"It was for the Demonic Human."

But a reply never came.

She frowned after waiting some more, but her response seemed to be withheld.

Sophie turned to her Mother with an arched brow which slowly slipped into confusion.

Cressida's gaze had lost its warmth.

It's joy… It's signature smile.

What remained now was a stern, firm look.

A dangerous glint at the edge of her eyes pulsing with her heartbeat.

Her words came out low and harsh.

"Never fear putting a Demonic Human in its place."

She said.

"And don't be frightened to speak when you do so… those mutts are exactly what they are."

And her smile returned.

"Dogs without a leash."

Sophie watched in silence, but her expression remained the same.

Her mother's mood switches weren't uncommon, but they were rare, and she portrayed them when she was serious about a subject.

'Perhaps it doesn't sound much, but she once punished a community with no food and water after one of their Townspeople disrespected her.'

It wasn't just limited to her.

Her mother acted when danger, even by words was thrown towards her Daughter, and even Tacha, their only maid.

Family meant everything to her.

And vengeance was our only form of portraying it.

"Alright then… I've told you my part." She said with a sigh.

"What about yours? Wasn't the plan to attack the future generations… at the Academy?"

"Well, that plan was literally destroyed, no?"

Cressida asked with a laugh.

"True. It was past our expectations… I'm sure even to the Red Peacemakers…"

"Indeed. Their leader had to intervene after protecting his identity for so long.

We don't have the time either, since the Blue Rose hasn't been in session."

"The Blue Rose?" Sophie repeated with slight intrigue. "They had only met up once?"

"Yes, and that was due to the Jun's placements in the Rankings."

Sophie arched her brows.

"Why set one after something as simple as that, but not when an Academy was destroyed?"

Cressida chuckled.

"The Blue Rose is the King's way of going behind people's backs to cause damage… There was no need for something like that with the Academy, when Rhabanz isn't capable of getting away with something like that."

She pursed her lips with her fingers.

"But with the Juns, oh no. Their first place was unprecedented… and the Rankings aren't just there for show."

Sophie nodded.

"Resources, Fame, Migration rates, income… every form of it is increased for the High Ranked… while the rest of the Households are left with… well…"

Sophie tilted her head from side to side.

"The leftovers."

"Hmm." Cressida nodded as she picked up a folder.

On it was a clear, handwritten title: Finance.

"If it were known what resources we received…"

She giggled lightly.

"Well, I understand the need to go for the Heads directly," Sophie muttered. "It'll cause a change… a disturbance in the line of command… but to what end?"

Cressida smiled. "The Branch Families."

Sophie widened her eyes in realisation.

The Great Households, as most would think, weren't Households composed of Nuclear Families, no.

They were extended… far and beyond.

Every Household possessed a Branch family, but the Arcanus had been shrivelled to two.

Cressida and Sophia.

Most of the Branch Families had left the Kingdom and ventured out to form larger factions.

Their names were, of course, kept under wraps for the Main Family to shine, but if the usual system is perturbed…

Chaos would ensue.

The branch Families will rally up to find a new Family who'll become the Main Household.

Sophie grinned.

"That's diabolical, Mother."

Cressida chuckled.

"It could be…" She said, "If everything is set in place and goes as is…"

She sighed.

"and that was what led me to search for them… those mutts."

"Hah…" Sophie nodded in understanding.

There was only so much one person could do to achieve something grand.

Unless they were a god, they would have to lean in to people with similar aspirations.

"Well, I'm sure Jester wouldn't expect any of this… but still…"

Cressida nodded slowly.

"I understand. Far more than you do, sweety."

She said with a loud sigh.

"Trusting them would be indirectly signing your own ending with the Devil's."

She shook her head.

"Our history has taught us better."

Sophie smiled in agreement.

"Yes, our artefacts focus on it. The Ten Trojan Vestiges."

She grabbed her mace.

"Each capable of pulling their own weight against the strongest of Devils…"

"Years of research, Sophia," Cressida added. "Years of self-sacrifice and blood… the occult is a borderline between the living and the dead, but if done right…"

"It can become a shield against the living and the dead."

Sophie completed her Mother's words, and the two women smiled from ear to ear.

A moment of understanding lingered between them before Sophie stood to her feet.

After hearing what she needed, there was nothing else to confirm.

"Alright, I'll get back to my training, Mother."

Now, she would leave the rest to her Mother.

"So, what should I do on that day?"

Cressida continued to watch.

"With the Vestiges, the balance will tip. And when it does… the Families won't know who truly holds the reins."

She replied.

"But I will make use of five on that day… as for you and Tacha, I will send instructions for you to follow with the others."

Sophie froze on reaching the door.

She blinked once as she glanced at her Mother.

Their gazes met and locked.

And for what felt like eternity, they peered into each other.

Searching for something they would never find.

Why? Because they hid themselves too well from each other.

'Like Mother, like daughter.'

Cressida thought.

"We are facing this together… right?"

Sophie asked with hesitation lingering at the edge of her voice.

Cressida smiled warmly.

One that seemed to brighten the room.

"Of course."

Sophie's gaze narrowed before she opened the door, walked out and closed it shut.

Cressida stared at the door for a moment as her smile dissolved into something odd. Something new.

Her eyes watered, and a teardrop formed, slipping down her rosy cheeks as sadness took root within.

She glanced down at the table.

"The Darkness that haunted us for years… you broke it so easily, Sophie."

She muttered softly.

"...I'm sorry."